Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee apologized Thursday for last year's deadly fire that killed 168 people at the Wang Fuk Court housing complex. The gesture comes after months of public outrage and political pressure. Lee accepted the resignation of Housing Secretary Winnie Ho, who will "bear political responsibility" for the disaster.
Lee primarily blamed collusion and corruption within the construction industry, specifically implicating insiders with connections to organized crime triads responsible for shoddy repair work. The seven buildings involved were undergoing government-mandated repairs with substandard netting and polystyrene foam that accelerated the fire's rapid spread. Lee promised regulatory reforms and announced a cross-departmental task force on bid-rigging involving police and the anti-corruption agency.
A government report cited "dubious backgrounds" of contractors and a "widespread, systemic and longstanding practice" to manipulate bid outcomes. It also singled out four government bodies for lack of oversight: the Fire Services Department, Buildings Department, Labor Department, and Independent Checking Unit. Lee faces pressure to demonstrate government control amid increased Beijing oversight following a political overhaul.
The official investigation, compiled in two volumes totaling over 1,100 pages, exposed major failures in oversight.
Source: New York Times Business · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing